


cherry bomb

by batwngs



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Comic Book Violence, Other, Reader-Insert, antagonist is made up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 03:55:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batwngs/pseuds/batwngs
Summary: summary: jason and reader are after the same target, but with two very different end goals in mind.preview: he didn’t realize how close the two of them were. submerged in sporadic blue lights jumping as quickly as the drunk figures on the populated dance floor, [y/n] acted like a glowing light across the lake. one second bathed in a brilliant blue, the next engulfed by darkness. they were a dream of endless safety against a nightmare of bleeding bullets, a wave of calmness against a harsh gust of summer heat.





	cherry bomb

**Author's Note:**

> personal warnings: violence, language, mild romance, mentions of drug dealing and substance abuse, alcohol use

     Jason stood by the bar, carefully searching through the dark room illuminated by dancing blues and pinks. Everyone was in masks for the masquerade event, the plastic concealing nothing in the flashing and dancing sea of anonymity. Sporting his own domino mask, Jason hoped he could find drug dealer Vito Lombardi and his goons before anything could get ugly. His back against the bar’s sticky edge, Jason mapped out the nightclub hoping to find the men he was looking for.

     The heat of the place made it hard to breathe, people everywhere dancing like there’s no care in the world. The scene was suffocating. The bright neon lights drowned out any aspect of identity, silhouettes rhythmically moving against the various lights. Throbbing beats vibrated the dancefloor, possibly even the cause of the wild and sporadic dance moves amongst the crowd. The smell of citrus mixed with an unpleasant combination of smoke and sweat and booze filled the air. The pink lights bright and beaming over the masked shadows within the venue. Even from where Jason stood, the party seemed to be lively and consuming every possible inch of the area.

     Jason kept his eyes out for his targets, carefully scanning the club over and over again. Unable to locate any possible whereabouts or goons, he turned back to the bartender. The mass of dancing bodies and strobing lights didn’t interest Jason all that much. He was here for a job. As he tore his gaze from the crowd to face the bar, however, something gleamed in the corner of his eyes.

     A captivating masked figure approached the bar. Something about them felt powerful. Pink hues highlighted their figure, creating a halo of glass dipped in strawberries around them. The distance between Jason and this cosmic being felt charged, the hairs on Jason’s skin rising. Maybe it was the thick air of the club, but Jason was finding it harder to breathe. He didn’t know anything about this person who tossed glances at him every now and then, but he knew this celestial stranger could collapse nebulas if they willed it.

     He didn’t realize he was staring, but [Y/N] shifted their stance to lean their elbow against the bar in order to face Jason. He turned to look into his drink, trying to avoid eye contact, but he could feel their stare on his skin.

     [Y/N], leaning towards Jason, in an almost yelling manner blurted out, “Want to dance?”

     “I’m not done with my drink,” Jason responded in a voice loud enough to be heard over the blaring music. He’s glad the club was dark with lights that momentarily painted the masqueraded figures in a pink haze; he could feel the heat of blush rising to his ears, and he wouldn’t want this spellbinding and mysterious stranger to see him in an embarrassed state. Jason smirked into his drink in attempt to play off his slight embarrassment, the edge of his glass touching his lips.

     Jason turned to look off into the crowd again, trying to find the drug peddlers among the ever-moving pink sea. He could still feel the lingering stare of the masked stranger. He tried focusing on finding Lombardi, searching all corners of the room from where he stood. He noticed the stranger’s gaze followed his, as if they were attempting to study Jason and who, or what, he was looking for. Suddenly, Jason felt the glass that held his drink pried away from his fingers, his concentration shifting from drug dealers to thieving hands on the glass that hugged his calloused palms.

     [Y/N] took his drink and with one swing, said drink was gone. They placed the glass down on the bar and reached for Jason’s hand.

     “Come on,” [Y/N] said loudly, a triumphant smile gracing their face. They gently grabbed his hand, leading him to the dance floor surrounded by shades of pink turning blue.

     [Y/N], with Jason’s hand in theirs, pushed through the heavy crowd with ease. They were dragging him closer and closer into a black hole, the gravity too strong to break free from. He was lingering dangerously close to the center of it all, but he dare not move away. He felt he was bounded by [Y/N]’s own gravity as well as the dance floor’s, two strong forces dooming his own fate to one of darkness.

     The lights were flashing rapidly, consuming the sea of dancers into the darkness only to drag them into a dizzying neon bluea second later. Jason was distracted, keeping his eyes out for Lombardi’s men. It was even harder to see anyone from the middle of the room. Shadows of clubbers whirling all around Jason, blocking his view of any possible suspicious activity. The crowd dancing in circles around him made the already dense air blur with heat and movement. The floor was spinning, the lights blinking like bullets, stealing sight. Every second brought a new person shoving into Jason from all sides. Jason lost sight of everything, the dizziness of the dance floor and the masqueraded dancers drowning him into an ocean that rocked back between surfs of blue and black. Against the spinning and dancing, [Y/N] suddenly put their arms around Jason’s neck, reeling his attention back to the blaring music and thick crowd surrounding them.

     He didn’t realize how close the two of them were. Submerged in sporadic blue lights jumping as quickly as the drunk figures on the populated dance floor, [Y/N] acted like a glowing light across the lake. One second bathed in a brilliant blue, the next engulfed by darkness. They were a dream of endless safety against a nightmare of bleeding bullets, a wave of calmness against a harsh gust of summer heat.

     The room was at a standstill, everything beginning to blur for Jason. The once fluttering lights now gently appeared and disappeared against [Y/N]’s skin and mask. Their eyes were fixed on Jason’s, as if they could see right through his guise, searching for who he was underneath the mask. He couldn’t help but do the same.

     Suddenly, [Y/N] pressed against him, crushing his lips into a cherry wine. Their hand ran through his hair as if ruby petals embellished his dark roots. Their lips were electrifying against his, hints of cherry bleeding through as Jason moved to deepen the kiss.

     “Let’s go someplace quiet,” [Y/N] said breathlessly against his cherry stained lips, the words almost lost to the crowd.

     All Jason could do was nod, prompting [Y/N] to seize  ****hold of his hand again to slowly guide him. Pushing through the invasive crowd, [Y/N] lead him towards an empty corridor, the vivid blue glow was slowly repainted into a vibrant red. Though the hall was not that far off from the intensity of the party, it felt like a completely new world dyed in cherries and blood.

     Against the beating of the bass and the beating of their hearts, the world was loud. With [Y/N]’s back against the reddened walls, Jason returned his lips to theirs. [Y/N]’s lips felt like velvet against his, their hands like petals falling tenderly off their flower and finding home in the roots of his hair. Electric kisses peppered each other’s lips, it was as if Jason and [Y/N] were drunk on the taste of the other’s lips. The cherry of their lips was the only color Jason could see. Jason worked his way towards their neck, kissing a path from the corner of their lips to their jaw before reaching his desired destination.

     “Sei bellissima cazzo,” Jason murmured against [Y/N]’s neck before he continued kissing their neck. Their skin reminded him of the finest royal silks in the world, colored red with blood and unattainable wealth.

     “So,” [Y/N] sighed blissfully, hands lost between Jason’s dark curls, “Why do you have a gun?”

     Jason pulled out his gun and held it against [Y/N]’s temple.  

     “Who are you?” Jason snarled. He was sure he hid his gun in a way no one would be able to notice. How was this cherry stained being able to notice it?

     “An arrant knave,” [Y/N] goaded, playfully tugging on his hair.

     “Don’t fuck with me,” Jason growled as he pressed the gun to [Y/N]’s temple.

     “What are you gonna do? Shoot me?” [Y/N] provoked, a sly smirk painted across their face.

     “I just might.”

     “Shoot me and I’ll stab you.”

     Jason didn’t realize the knife [Y/N] held to his thigh. One wrong move and his blood will stain the floor that’s already pigmented scarlet.

     “You’re not as well-disguised as you may think. You’d been better off with a paper bag over your head,” [Y/N] stated. They tenderly slid their hand from Jason’s hair to his masquerade mask, teasing to take it off, their touch a whisper.

     Jason grabbed their hand, gripping it harshly. “Don’t. You don’t need to see what’s in my eyes,” he sighed. Jason gently let go of their hand, unwilling to give up the sparks their hand created. When he did let go, their hand lingered in the air for a moment, holding on to what could have been. With movements like honey, their hand slowly fell to their side. Jason stepped back in attempt to put some distance between himself and the mystery that was [Y/N]. Once his back had made contact with the wall on the opposite side of the room, he lowered the gun to his thigh, his finger on trigger ready to shoot if need be. He hoped he wouldn’t have to.

     The silence was thick as Jason and [Y/N] stood on either side of the narrow room. The red lighting of the room, the blue light pooling in from the dance floor, the music faded yet vibrating the walls. The not so wide corridor was electrically charged and heated. [Y/N] observed Jason with a contemplative yet sympathetic look in their eyes, the red lighting delicately draping their figure.

     [Y/N] mused, “You should have been a poet.”

     They maintained an unwavering eye contact with Jason. He couldn’t find it in himself to tear away. Even behind the mask, Jason couldn’t let go of the feeling that [Y/N] was staring right into his soul, his very being, the mask acting as another layer of skin—an organic extension of himself. He felt they could see right through him, his past, present, and future. It was chilling, but Jason couldn’t move. His limbs, words, and heart all fell numb under the influence of [Y/N]’s mysterious and enamoring eyes. He never knew Medusa’s eyes were this beautiful: mysterious and dangerous yet captivating, pulling at every fiber of his existence. How many heroes have these eyes brought down? How many sorrows have they wept through? How many heavenly bodies has these eyes seen? How many universes have they destroyed? How many stars laid in the iris of their eyes, how many ancient stories and myths do they echo? Maybe turning to stone isn’t as terribly painful as the poets said.

     After wondering through the labyrinth of [Y/N]’s eyes, Jason sighs, “Just don’t get in my way.”

     And with that, he walked out of the red and into the blue, resisting the urge to look back. He knew that if he turned to steal a glance, he would truly turn to stone and never leave.  

     Once he escaped the crimson webs, Jason rushed off towards the restroom, pushing and maneuvering his way through the dancers. Just as he entered, he went straight to the untidy sinks.

     Was his cover really blown because he kissed the neck of a stranger with a charming yet knowingsmile? Did this cherrycolored stranger even know who he was or were they just playing games? Were they messing with his already messed up head? Maybe the enchanting stranger didn’t actually know who he was, but pulling his gun gave it away? Did he just blow his own cover? Did he really out himself to a complete stranger who just happened to be a great kisser? Did any of this really ha-

     “Lombardi sucks ass at poker man,” an echoing voice exits the colorful stalls behind Jason, breaking him from his spiraling thoughts. Jason tried not to glare at the man who loudly announced his alliance with Lombardi from the mirrors.

     “Yeah boss really shouldn’t bet so much money, he keeps losing it every time,” responded a second voice. 

     “I can’t complain, his loss is my win.”

     “Don’t you think he’d want that cash back?”

     “He’s got enough dough coming in from his business,” responded the goon followed by a curt chuckle, “a couple Franklin’s won’t hurt ‘em.”

     The two henchmen walked out the restroom and into the masquerade of purple lights and screamingmusic.

     Jason couldn’t just put a bullet in these two passing heads, even though he wanted to for selling drugs to children. He’s already threatened Lombardi once, he probably should have just put a bullet in the greasy man’s head then. The Red Hood owed the drug peddlers another visit but making a scene now would blow Jason’s cover. He decided following them would be a better option, the two men didn’t appear to be this century’s Kepler or Galileo.

     They led Jason upstairs into a hallway of billowing red curtains that covered the moonlight that yearned to enter. Jason waited until the men had cleared the hall, although he was sure they wouldn’t have noticed him if he was directly behind them. The corridor held an odd atmosphere, something ancient and something foreign reigning the very halls; a place without the constraints of time. The checkered flooring was pristine, only the moonlight dipped in cherry red casting long faded scarlet shadows upon them. Circular white lights clung to the ceiling, more for design than functionality. The party that continued downstairs was a distant world, a reality that liked to remind you of its existence every now and then by vibrating the floors and walls with music and joyous drunken screams. As Jason closed in on his targets, the reeking odor of cheap cigarettes and booze mixed with the heinous laughter of criminals grew louder and louder. 

     Jason peered into the room to see how many men he was going to be dealing with. The room was colored in an evergreen embellished with dull yellow lights. A cloud of smoke clogged the air above the poker table, where all the corrupt men sat laughing and gambling off their dirty money.

     “Looks like someone’s chips are bleeding,” Jason casually said  ****as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed while he held a gun in one hand. Everyone around the table turned to see where the voice had come from, shocked to see Jason standing there.

     “Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?” Lombardi shouted, his features twisting in confusion and frustration.

     “Don’t recognize the man who told you not to sell drugs to children?” questioned Jason, the anger beginning to rise in his voice.

     Lombardi’s face paled immediately. The Red Hood had actually come to fulfill his promises.

     Jason walkedto where Lombardi was sitting, the anger fuming, and grabbed Lombardi’s face. With his gun pointed at one of Lombardi’s wide and panicked eye, Jason announced with fury laced with each word, “You fucked up.”

     “Didn’t I say you’re dead if you deal to children?” Jason continued, “How many times do I have to hold a gun to your head before you get the message?”

     One of the goons at the end of the table got up, aiming his quivering gun right at Jason.

     “Pipe down lackey,” Jason barked at the henchman who dared to point his gun at Jason. Jason’s gun was aimed in the direction of the cowering drug peddlers at the other end of the table, while his hand was still firmly gripped Lombardi’s face colored pale in fear.

     “I’ve given you enough chances already,” Jason scoffed. He moved his gun from the foolish dealers to Lombardi’s forehead, the gun resting right between the eyebrows. “Now you’re dead.”

     Suddenly a knife was thrown at lightning speed, knocking the gun that was aimed at the back of Jason’s head out of the criminal’s hand. Jason, along with the tensed criminals, turned to see where the knife had come from.

     Jason was somewhat relieved to be seeing [Y/N] again, although he was hoping it wouldn’t be in such a messy situation. Still holding Lombardi’s face, Jason couldn’t help but study [Y/N]. Even in a room full of armed criminals, he wanted to take in the sight before his eyes. However, he noticed something new about [Y/N] this time. In their hands were four thick black duffle bags, a few left unzipped revealing the crisp green that was crammed within. It occurred to him then what they were doing.

     Before Jason could even question why [Y/N] came to help, let alone have the weight of the situation completely dawn over him, the hoodlums in the back of the room started shooting at Jason.

     Jason shoved Lombardi out of his chair. When he reached the ground, Jason shot his foot. Jason planned to deal with him last. Turning his attention back to the henchmen, he shot at the ones that were aiming [Y/N], who had grabbed a chair to knock out the closest henchman. They picked up a discarded gun from the floor and shot at the new men entering the room. These hoodlums came charging in unaware of the threat the Red Hood and the thief posed.

     Jason grabbed one of the haphazardly zipped black bags and threw it at Lombardi’s men. Before it could hit one of them, Jason shot at it, hoping the contents raining down would cause a distraction. As the money rained down on the room, Jason shot at the remaining men. [Y/N] threw their new found, yet now empty, gun at one of the men, hitting them right in the forehead. Jason grabbed another bag and tossed it at the criminals crowding the door, shooting at the bag for distraction then their heads.

     [Y/N] reunited with their knife in the scuffle. However, a bullet grazed their shoulder just then. The pain was searing, but before they could kick the attacker down, Jason hit the goon with a forceful blow. Jason turned to put a bullet in Lombardi, leaving an injured [Y/N] with a dagger and a regretful goon with a bloody nose.  

     Lombardi’s cries for mercy mixed with the soft tune of the party, the song shifting just as Jason’s gun echoed into the next song.

     The cash fell from the air as if it were confetti, raining down and burying the motionless bodies. Jason and [Y/N] remained at either end of the room, the money falling freely to the ground like autumn leaves in the wind. Time seemed to be at a standstill, the air heavy, neither of them daring to move. The silence blaring from the beat of the bullets, only the faint echo of the bass from the club downstairs merged with the quiet sounds of heavy breathing and the melody of bloodied money falling. [Y/N], firmly gripping the last remaining black duffle bag containing the prize they sought after, swiftly eyed the window. Jason noticed this quick glance, despite the corrupted money snowing down on them obscuring his view.

     As the last bill touched the ground, time resumed. [Y/N] dashed towards the shattered window, Jason following after. They were gone before Jason even reached the broken glass that lay on the ground neighboring the open window. He looked out the window, the heavy rain making it hard to see where they had gone. Just as they have entered into his night, [Y/N] had disappeared into the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> this story and others can be found on my tumblr: batwngs
> 
> if there are any formatting errors please let me know! comments and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!


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